How To Earn Airline Miles and Travel Rewards with a Bank Account

Travel credit cards often get the spotlight for helping cardholders earn points and miles toward future trips. But you’re not limited to only a credit card when you want to rack up travel rewards.

In fact, with the right savings account or debit card, you can earn airline miles, hotel points and other perks while still managing your everyday finances.

If you frequent American Airlines, the Bask® Mileage Savings Account can help pay for your next flight. Instead of earning interest, you’ll earn 1.75 American Airlines AAdvantage^® miles for every $1 saved annually.

These miles can be used on American Airlines flights or with any of American’s 20-plus partner airlines. You can also use miles for seat upgrades, lounge access, hotel stays, rental cars, vacation packages and gift cards. AAdvantage miles accrue daily and are awarded monthly based on the account holder’s average monthly balance. The Bask Mileage Savings has no monthly account fees and no minimum balance requirement.

Just like co-branded airline and hotel credit cards, co-branded debit cards can offer rewards, too — and, unlike with credit cards, you don’t need a credit check to qualify.

For United flyers, there’s the United MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card, which rewards cardholders with 1 mile per $1 spent on United and 1 mile per $2 spent on all other qualifying purchases. Cardholders also earn 2,500 bonus miles when spending $10,000 each calendar year. There’s no monthly fee with an average minimum $2,000 account balance; otherwise, it’s $4 per month.

Southwest has a similar offering with its Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Debit Card, where you can earn 1 point for every $2 spent on qualifying everyday purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on eligible Southwest purchases and qualifying dining and subscription purchases. Cardholders receive a bonus of 7,500 points in their account each calendar year, and all points earned on the card count toward Companion Pass.

There’s no monthly fee for the card if you maintain a minimum average monthly balance of $2,500; otherwise, the monthly fee is $6.99.

For those interested in hotel rewards, consider the Wyndham Rewards® Debit Card. You can earn 1 point per $1 spent at Hotels by Wyndham, 1 point per $1 spent on gas / grocery purchases and 1 point per $2 spent on all other purchases. There’s an anniversary bonus of up to 7,500 bonus points each year.

You also get complimentary Wyndham Rewards Gold status instantly, so you’re already walking into any Wyndham with perks like preferred room selection and late checkout without having to earn your way there. The $6 monthly fee is avoidable if you keep at least $2,500 in your account.

If you already have an Amex credit card, the American Express^® Rewards Checking is a smart addition because you earn Membership Rewards^® points on eligible debit card purchases. This means that your everyday spending is working toward the same pool of points you’d use to book a flight or transfer to an airline partner from your Amex credit card. The Amex Rewards Checking has no fee to open, no monthly fees and no minimum balance requirement.

Also unique in the debit card space, there’s a 1% APY on your checking account balance and the debit card comes with purchase protection if something you buy is stolen or damaged within the first 90 days.

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